Director of Community Engagement

The Community Engagement Director will be a key bridge between the Food Depository and communities across Cook County, helping to build and strengthen relationships, foster collaboration, and advance advocacy initiatives. This role will focus on strategic engagement in a designated region, such as the South Side or West Side of Chicago, ensuring that local partnerships and policy efforts are responsive to community needs.

The ideal candidate will have deep ties to the community, demonstrated experience in relationship-building, and the ability to develop outreach and engagement strategies. They should be skilled in collaborative community planning, with expertise in advocacy and policy development, particularly within the anti-hunger and anti-poverty spaces. This individual will also help repair, strengthen, or establish the organization’s reputation in communities that may not have prior engagement with the Food Depository.

Key Responsibilities

• Community Engagement & Relationship Building:
  • Establish and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with community leaders, organizations, food pantries, and advocates.
  • Identify collaboration opportunities that align with food access, advocacy, and anti-poverty initiatives.
  • Serve as a connector, ensuring the Food Depository is strategically positioned to meet the needs of the region.
• Strategy Development & Implementation:
  • Design and implement community outreach and engagement strategies, tailored to a specific region within Cook County.
  • Identify and evaluate food pantry partnerships and other community collaborations.
  • Develop initiatives that bring resources to bear for underserved communities.
• Policy & Advocacy Integration:
  • Work with local organizations to create and expand advocacy efforts focused on food insecurity and poverty.
  • Engage in government relations efforts, helping bridge communication between communities and policy stakeholders.
  • Provide briefings, talking points, and community presentations to inform stakeholders about key issues.
• Organizational Representation & Communications:
  • Represent the Food Depository in community meetings, advocacy discussions, and external forums.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for community inquiries, offering guidance and support to residents and organizations.
• Reporting, Analysis & Evaluation:

• Conduct regular regional assessments, providing reports on challenges, opportunities, and relationship-building progress.
• Evaluate the impact of outreach efforts and make recommendations for continued improvement.
• Distill critical community insights back to internal teams, including government relations and policy departments.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Community Development, Public Administration, Political Science, Social Work, or a related field (Master’s preferred but not required).
• Experience: 5-10 years of experience in community organizing, outreach, or engagement, with a focus on advocacy, poverty alleviation, or hunger-related initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience developing community engagement strategies or launching outreach programs from the ground up.
• Strong understanding of advocacy, policy development, and government relations (preferred but not required).
• Experience in reputation repair and trust-building, particularly with organizations expanding their community presence.
• Skilled in public speaking, writing talking points, and conducting community briefings.
• Ability to work independently, connect strategic dots, and translate community insights into actionable recommendations.

Benefits:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
• Generous paid time off
• Parental leave
• On-site gym
• $3,000 annual employer-paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program
• $250 employee referral bonus